The Material Issues That Went into the Making of Sociology
The Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18th century, represented a significant transformation in economic activity through the rise of capitalism. This shift facilitated new attitudes towards production and labor, leading to the categorization of human societies based on industrialization levels. In pre-industrial England, the societal structure was hierarchical and communal. In contrast, the Industrial Revolution prompted a disintegration of traditional roles and relationships, with workers now navigating urban life characterized by factories, slums, and economic regimentation.
Key thinkers reacted to these changes, concerned about the degradation of labor and the rising disparities between classes. Sociology emerged as a discipline to analytically address these societal shifts, viewing them as integral to the human experience. The movement towards urbanization reflected the vast changes in social interactions and necessitated new theoretical frameworks to study these complexities and dynamics.
Understanding the emergence of sociology requires recognizing how these material conditions influenced social relations and necessitated empirical investigations to examine the intricacies of societal structures and individual experiences.